Costa Rica's Kopali Communities Adheres to the Triple Bottom Line

Kopali Communities is a social business that adheres to the triple bottom line. Located in Costa Rica, the team of farmers, entrepreneurs, artists, developers, architects and teachers have developed ‘Lots for Sale’ where residents can build their own eco homes on Kopali Communities’ permaculture farm with local organic food and clean drinking water. Their current project is called Valle de Machuca, which spans 45 acres and is about an hour from the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose.

Kopali Communities started when Stephen Brooks, son of Norman Brooks (both partners in the project), moved to Costa Rica. Stephen was interested in the effects of the large-scale chemical farming and banana plantations on not only the rainforest, but also the indigenous populations of Costa Rica. Located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica on Punta Mona, Kopali Communities started as a sustainable farm and learning center about ecological issues and alternative ways of living. Since its inception, it has transformed into a community of eco villages that offer a sustainable and collective lifestyle.

How does Kopali Communities adhere to the triple bottom line? Firstly, in terms of "people," Kopali Communities strengthens the local community in a variety of realms including education, housing, employment, economic growth and healthcare, through fair business practices. Secondly, in terms of the "planet," Kopali Communities attempts to reduce energy consumption and the use of non-renewable resources. Their goal is to have the least negative environmental impact as they possibly can, which is sustained through their eco homes, as well as their food and water sourcing practices. Lastly, in terms of "profit," Kopali Communities attempts to have an enduring economic impact on the environment in which they live.

Kopali Communities’ YouTube video presents an almost utopic view of this society where people work together, share, and create a positive contribution to people and the planet. The land that Kopali Communities sought for their eco villages had to contain the following features, according to their YouTube video: "eternal spring-like weather," "food security" and "water security." One of the crucial tenets of Kopali Communities is connectedness: they strive to be connected to where food, water and energy is sourced. In a similar vein to the localization movement, the emphasis in Kopali Communities is knowing where your food, water and energy comes from, which is very different from the alienation that is common due to globalization.

In the Kopali Communities YouTube video, Stephen Brooks stated that he wanted the villages to be "not just like another gringo planned community, but something with a bit more."